Koronadal City, South Cotabato — The Provincial Government of South Cotabato convened the first and second batches of Civil Society Organization (CSO) Academy Scholars on Thursday at the PPDO–PDC Hall of the Provincial Capitol for a gathering and focused group discussion (FGD) aimed at assessing how the program has influenced their work in local governance.
A program review session was led by the CSO Focal Person from DILG Region 12 to examine the effectiveness of the academy’s modules and training methods.
South Cotabato continues to serve as a pilot province for the CSO Academy Program, which equips civil society groups with essential knowledge and practical skills needed to take on active roles in governance.
The initiative combines structured learning, mentorship, and partnerships with both government and private sector experts, enabling CSOs to help improve decision-making processes, transparency, public participation, and accountability within local government units.
Leny Belle R. Gumboc, CSO Academy Technical Working Group Vice Chairperson and Batch 2 scholar, shared, “The learnings from Batch 1 and Batch 2 will now be passed on to Batch 3, creating Version 3 of the CSO Academy. We are grateful that our experiences and lessons learned, including areas for improvement, can now guide the next batch. We are excited to be part of the modules for Batch 3.”
The sessions are expected to provide insights that will guide future program improvements and reinforce the province’s commitment to strengthening civil society participation.
To date, South Cotabato has produced forty-one (41) CSO Academy Scholars. Many of them are actively involved in local governance, serving in Local Special Bodies and Local People’s Councils at both municipal and provincial levels.
Several scholars have also made significant contributions to improving the governance performance, organizational systems, and long-term sustainability of their respective CSOs.s
Through its continued support for the CSO Academy Program, the Provincial Government of South Cotabato upholds its vision of empowering communities and fostering a more dynamic, collaborative, and participatory governance landscape.
